Columbus Armed Robber Sentenced to Prison for 2021 Crime Spree

COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus man who committed a series of armed robberies with his stepbrother in 2021, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison by a federal judge this week.

Quentin Anderson, 29, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 14; Anderson previously pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense on Feb. 24. Co-defendant, Janerio Jones, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on Dec. 20, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of robbery and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the firearm charge. Jones’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The Columbus business community was terrorized in early 2021 when Anderson and Jones robbed employees of several local businesses at gunpoint; I am thankful no lives were lost during this violent crime spree,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office prioritizes prosecutions against violent offenders and in collaboration with law enforcement, we will continue to do everything in our power to reduce violence and hold dangerous criminals accountable.”

“No one should ever be terrorized physically or emotionally, like the victims in these violent armed robberies were,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance from our local law enforcement partners, Anderson will spend a long time behind bars where he won’t be able to wreak havoc on any more innocent civilians."

“In the span of a few days, the defendants charted a path of violent armed robberies at multiple businesses across Columbus. Thanks to the collaborative effort with our state and federal partners, these individuals were arrested before they could terrorize another business and its employees. The recent sentencing and plea send a clear message that acts of armed robbery will not be tolerated in our community,” said Columbus Police Department Deputy Chief Lance Deaton.

According to court documents, Jones and Anderson together robbed seven businesses in Columbus between Jan. 18, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2021. On the afternoon of Jan. 18, the defendants robbed both the Little Caesars on Buena Vista Road and the Dollar General on Crystal Drive within an hour and a half of each other. At Little Caesars, the entire cash register was removed from the store and the store employees took cover at the back of the store once they realized the robbers had a gun. At Dollar General, the robbers attempted to take the cash register, failed and fled on foot. Four days later, on Jan. 22, the defendants held up the Forrest Road Package on Forrest Road. One of the robbers pointed a gun in the face of a store employee while the other attempted to rob an employee at the back of the store. The cash register tray was taken. The following day, on Jan. 23, the owner of Jerry’s Food Mart on St. Mary’s Road was robbed at gunpoint by Jones and Anderson. The robbers took the owner’s wallet, store merchandise and cash. On Jan. 27, the owner of the Super C Food Mart on Decatur Street was robbed at gunpoint. The owner refused to give the robbers cash, and Jones fired a round at the cashier, which struck the protective glass barrier. As they exited the building, Jones fired another round at the owner which penetrated the glass barrier, narrowly missing him. The store owner fired his own gun at the assailants. On the evening of Feb. 4, the defendants and another individual robbed the Quality Inn on Macon Road. Jones pointed his handgun at the property owner’s head and stole money out of the hotel safe; the men fled on foot. On Feb. 22 at approximately 8:53 p.m., the defendants robbed the Marco’s Pizza on University Avenue. Jones fired his gun into the air when they entered the restaurant and demanded money. The robbers fled with stolen cash. Several Marco’s Pizza employees quit their jobs after the violent incident. Anderson was taken into custody on April 14, 2021, at a residence in Stockbridge, Georgia. Jones was taken into custody on Aug. 11, 2021, at a motel in Forest Park, Georgia.

The case was investigated by FBI and the Columbus Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams prosecuted the case for the Government.